Rail cars such as passenger, freight, flat, tanker, box and cargo cars are designed to carry heavy loads at high speeds along a rail system. Each of the rail cars typically includes a housing dampingly mounted on a frame structure. For example, a set of springs and shock absorbers can be coupled between the housing and the frame structure to dampen vibration of the rail car and to reduce dynamic loads on rails on which the rail cars travel. A plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on axles is typically coupled to a portion of the frame structure. The frame structure can be subject to oscillatory loads including force vectors and moments as a result of movement of the rail car along the rails. The oscillatory loads can cause wear and premature failure of the frame or portions thereof.